The present invention relates to the field of containers, and, more particularly, to closure caps for pill containers and associated methods.
A closure cap is typically used to selectively cover the open upper end of a container, such as used for pills or medication. One problem that arises with medication, both prescription and nonprescription, is that patients sometimes do not remember to take the medication at the designated times e.g., every four hours. Alternately, sometimes patients do not remember when the last time that medication was taken. In an attempt to address these problems, various timers have been developed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,661 titled xe2x80x9cMedication Dosage Timing Apparatusxe2x80x9d to Walters describes a closure cap having an integral timer. The timer is activated and deactivated by a moveable disk that engages and disengages a battery beneath the timer. The timer cap, and more specifically, the moveable disk, described in the Walters patent, however, may be somewhat awkward and unreliable. The disk may stick in position if it is not properly aligned. Accordingly, the timer cap described in the patent may be difficult to manipulate and may not provide an accurate indication of time.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,123 titled xe2x80x9cMedication Timerxe2x80x9d to Durso describes a programmable medication timer on a closure cap that indicates the appropriate time for the user to take medication. The timer described in the Durso patent, however, is relatively complicated and requires specific programming to remind the user to take medication.
Current closure caps are generally adapted for use either with child-proof containers or containers having threaded openings. Moreover, a timer cap adapted for a pill container having a threaded opening cannot be used on a child-proof container, and vice-versa.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a closure cap that is reliable and which may also be compatible with both child-proof pill containers, e.g., child-resistant pill containers and pill containers having a threaded opening, e.g., senior-friendly pill containers.
This and other objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a closure cap comprising a lower housing portion and an enlarged upper housing portion connected thereto and defining a shoulder therebetween. The shoulder engages adjacent upper portions of the pill container when the closure cap is secured thereon. The closure cap also preferably includes a switch member being biased outwardly from an opening in the shoulder. The switch member is movable between an outwardly extending position and a retracted position based upon contact with adjacent upper portions of the pill container as the closure cap is secured thereon. The closure cap further preferably includes a timer carried by the housing and cooperating with the switch member for generating an indication relating to a length of time that the switch member has been in the retracted positioned. The length of time corresponds to a time since the closure cap was most recently secured onto the pill container. Accordingly, the closure cap provides a relatively straightforward and reliable timing function for the user.
The timer preferably includes a display and circuitry connected thereto for displaying the length of time since the switch member was most recently moved to the retracted position. The display may include a digital display. The closure cap further preferably includes a battery carried by the housing for powering the circuitry. The switch member may comprise a generally cylindrical pin that has rounded-over end edges. The lower housing portion preferably includes a threaded outer surface portion and the upper housing portion preferably includes an outer gripping surface having a plurality of vertically extending ridges. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the closure cap may also include a removable child-proof adaptor ring to be carried by the housing to adapt the housing to engage a child-proof locking mechanism of the pill container. The removable child-proof adaptor ring preferably includes an upper portion engaging adjacent outer surface portions of the upper housing portion and a lower portion connected to the upper portion and being in radially spaced apart relation from adjacent surface portions of the lower housing portion. In other words, the closure cap can also advantageously be interchangeably used between child-proof pill containers and pill containers having threaded portions adjacent the opening.
The objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are also provided by a method for generating an indication relating to a length of time since a closure cap was most recently secured to a pill container. The method includes providing a housing having a lower housing portion and an enlarged upper housing portion connected thereto and defining a shoulder therebetween. The shoulder engages adjacent upper portions of the pill container when the closure cap is secured thereon. The method also includes biasing a switch member outwardly from an opening in the shoulder. The switch member is movable between an outwardly extending position and a retracted position based upon contact with adjacent upper portions of the pill container as the closure cap is secured thereon. The method also includes generating an indication relating to a length of time since the closure cap was most recently secured to the pill container based upon a length of time since the switch member was most recently moved to the retracted position.
The objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are further provided by a method for adapting a closure cap from use with a pill container having threads to use with a pill container comprising a child-proof locking mechanism. The closure cap includes a timer and a housing carrying the timer. The housing includes a threaded outer surface portion to engage threads of a pill container. The method includes biasing a switch member from the housing that is movable between an outwardly extending position and a retracted position based upon contact with adjacent upper portions of the pill container as the closure cap is secured thereon. The switch member cooperates with the timer. The method also includes engaging a removable child-proof adaptor ring onto the housing to adapt the housing to engage the child-proof locking mechanism of a pill container.